The Road to Hell is Paved
by Kasai Ame
Summary: He has a stranger in his care and no Keyblade to fight with. He has darkness in his heart and a bad smoking habit. When the stars start to fall and Sora disappears, it looks like the only hero left is...not a hero at all. Olette/Riku
1. Light 'Em Up

**Author's Note: **

I feel bad about starting a new story when I already have one waiting to be updated. But until I get my notes for Frame of Reference, my Harry Potter fanfic, I can't continue it. So I figured I'd busy myself with something other than a smutty oneshot.

Last night, playing KH3 on my PS2, I realized that poor Riku always gets jipped. I mean, he's so sexy but he never gets any! So I'm here to fix that, and I'm planning on doing it right. Any romance of Riku's has to be a little dark and twisted. Plus, poor little Olette never gets any either, and I love her so much more than Kairi and Namine!

So be ready for a few twists and surprises. Enjoy.

* * *

"It's late."

There was a moment of silence, and from the darkness came the sound of a deep inhale and exhale of breath. Silver smoke rose into the night sky, made visible by clouded moonlight.

"Yeah…it is."

Tidus let out a noise of displeasure and lunged at the figure in the shadows. His fingers touched nothing but air.

"Honestly, Riku. Cigarettes now? You know Sora won't be pleased."

Another deep inhale and exhale of breath. Silver smoke moved in a cloud towards Tidus' face. The young man coughed and sputtered, waving his hands as if to push the poisonous air off his deeply tanned skin.

"That's not nice," Tidus wheezed. Riku chuckled slightly and moved from the warm depths of the cove's hollow into the cool night air. His bare toes squished against the moist sand covering the beach. Destiny Islands, though small, was as quiet and beautiful as ever.

"Sorry, kid. I promised I wouldn't smoke or drink in town, but out here it's fair game." A breeze pushed across the still ocean waters and combed itself through Riku's long, silver hair. It was almost wild now, left unkempt and uncared for. A light brush of silver stubble dotted his sharp cheekbones- a young man's beard.

"You're not that much older than me, Riku. Cut it out with all this 'kid' crap."

Piercing green eyes looked over Tidus, obviously amused. The blonde boy was tall and covered in lean muscle now. He wore black slacks, rolled up to his knees, a white button-down shirt, and a thin black tie. It was the standard uniform of Destiny Islands' high school.

"Age has nothing to do with it. It's experience that counts." Riku mused, taking another drag off his cigarette. Tidus looked sadly at his friend and leaned against a twisted palm tree.

"The darkness really changed you, didn't it?"

"…you came down here for a reason, kid. What's up?"

"You're missing the goodbye party. Sora and Kairi are leaving at dawn, you know that." Riku shuffled his feet in the sand awkwardly. His own black slacks dragged along the ground, soaking in the salty water. His tie, loosened, hanged low around his neck.

"Come on, Riku! You can at least go say goodbye! I mean, it'd be even better if you went _with_ them, but I guess there's no convincing you. Even if you _are_ ignoring a summons from King Mick-"

"Shut up. That's none of your damn business."

"What if the Heartless are coming back? They could need you!"

"_SHUT UP. _Don't talk about what you don't understand." Riku pushed the remains of his cigarette against the stone lip of the hollow etched into the cove's wall. Orange flecks of light fell to the sand with a slight hiss.

Destiny Islands was never supposed to know what really happened- the Heartless, the Nobodies. They should never have been told, but Sora was convinced it was the right thing to do. There were so many questions when they returned, and so many people who had gone missing. Missing people that nobody remembered. Sora couldn't stand that.

"They won't be coming back. It's not possible." Tidus kicked at the sand as Riku slipped a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, opened the lid, and counted his remaining supply.

"The least you could do is say goodbye."

"Go back, Tidus. I don't belong there."

* * *

"Of course he belongs here! I'll go talk to him…"

Kairi reached for Sora's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. The Keyblade Master stopped in his tracks, turning to look at his girlfriend with sad eyes. She smiled encouragingly in return.

"He just needs time. It might be too soon for him to go off on another adventure, considering what he's been through."

"But we don't even know what the summons is about! It could be anything." She arched a thinly shaped eyebrow in response.

"You really think the king is inviting us to a party in our honor? Or a wedding?"

"Maybe." Her lover smiled winningly, so carefree and innocent. "Nobody knows the mysterious ways of King Mickey."

"Except Riku," Wakka interjected. "I mean, he was with him when you closed those…doors, right?" Sora's smile slipped. A dark-haired beauty at Wakka's side touched his arm in warning, forcing a blush across his dark cheeks. His hand closed over hers affectionately and laced through her pale fingers.

"I thought everyone agreed not to talk about that," Lulu whispered in his ear.

"Sorry. But you unda'stand what I mean. If Riku isn't worried 'bout the summons, I think it's okay for him to stay."

"I just worry about him." Sora sighed. "The drinking and the long nights out. He skips school and refuses to socialize. I think he's depressed."

"He's getting downright mean," Tidus huffed. "I'm sick of his attitude."

Sora looked helplessly around, waiting for someone to speak on Riku's behalf. But nobody spoke. They all nodded in agreement and muttered similar comments of their own. Kairi cleared her throat in an attempt to clear the tension in the air.

"Alright, I think it's time we all went home and got some rest. Our gummi ship will be here in the morning. I think we should deal with Riku when Sora and I return…when he's had some more time to…recover…"

Sora kissed her cheek and smiled again. "Good thinking, my princess."

Outside, beneath the dull moonlight, a figure in shadows lit a cigarette and watched as Sora's house cleared of people. There were hugs and a few tears and many promises. Riku inhaled and exhaled deeply, filling his lungs with smoke. As Sora helped a very pregnant Lulu down a set of wooden steps, he glanced suddenly towards the shadows.

But there was nothing there.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Okay, it's a short chapter, but an introduction is always necessary. So Destiny Islands is growing up, and Riku doesn't fit in quite right. Our silver-haired fox feels powerless... Next chapter, 'A Wish Your Heart Makes'.


	2. A Wish Your Heart Makes

Riku woke with a start in the darkness of his bedroom, his hand automatically reaching for the hunting knife beneath his pillow. Sweat matted his wild hair against his bare, sunkissed skin and soaked through to the mattress. He waited patiently for an enemy to strike, but all that came at him was the sound of his own heavy breathing. Cotton sheets lay in a twisted heap on the floor, keeping weeks worth of laundry and a few empty pizza boxes company. The glow of sunrise and a salty breeze poured through open windows, forcing him to relax.

It had only been a dream.

The silver-haired boy rubbed at his tired eyes and stretched out the thick, knotted muscle of his body with a yawn. It was hard to get more than a couple hours worth of sleep each night- so many nightmares of the darkness and the return of the Heartless. It didn't help that Sora and his Keyblade were taking off and leaving Destiny Islands without a defense.

Riku rose and moved to the small casement by his dresser, cigarette and lighter in hand. He imagined Sora and Kairi and Donald and Goofy all sharing one big laugh as their gummi ship approached escape velocity. He could see them all being so carefree and excited to travel across the universe, taking for granted the Keyblade in their possession. The lighter clicked a few times before it produced a flame; with a deep inhale, Riku clouded his lungs with smoke.

_Was it wrong to stay?_ There were so many reasons not to go…but then again, he knew he couldn't be counted on to make good decisions. He couldn't be counted on in general. Another deep inhale, another elongated exhale. Riku could feel his heart rate begin to rise, and the nicotine wasn't helping.** Inhale, exhale**. _You have to control it. _**Inhale, exhale.** _Hold it together, you fool._

Deep inside his ragged heart, darkness was growing. The more he thought about his past and remembered his dreams, the harder it became to resist it. But he couldn't clear his mind, not as he looked up at the burning dawn and thought of the two people dearest to his heart. The two people who had caused him more pain and suffering than anyone else…

**Inhale, exhale.**

They had made promises to always stay together…

_Relax._

…though they left him, lost in the darkness for so long…

**Inhale, exhale.**

…he'd given up everything to save Kairi.

_Don't do this to yourself._

But she rejected him…

**Inhale, exhale.**

…and ran into his best friend's arms…

_God damn it._

…he lost the Keyblade to save her

**Inhale, exhale.**

And it fell to Sora, just like everything else…

_Everything is so fucked up._

…and they _forgot_ him, as if they didn't care…

**His fingers quickly found another cigarette to feed on.**

…never knowing the pain of abandonment.

_Why was I the one to suffer for them?_

Was it so wrong, wanting to share the paopu fruit…

**Inhale, exhale.**

…to never be half the man Sora was…

_I never asked for any of this._

…to have **one thing **that couldn't be taken away?

Riku stood quietly, his heart burning as if it were on fire. Just beyond the horizon, a tiny light shot across the sky as the gummi ship disappeared into space. His calloused fingers pushed the lit cigarette into the wall, letting it fall to the ground as he threw his weary body back into bed.

* * *

A buzzing sound filled the small, messy home as someone urgently pressed on the doorbell. Riku woke in a panic, then dozed again as he realized no enemy would think of using his front door so politely. The buzzer eventually turned into one long and irritating stream of noise.

"I'm coming!" he shouted groggily, shoving his hunting knife back into its hiding place. Half-dressed and pissed off, Riku reached the door and swung it open with as much annoyance as possible. "I was sleeping."

"Always so dramatic," Tidus huffed. "You'd think I interrupted hot sex or something." The comment did nothing to lighten Riku's mood. In fact, it seemed to rile him up even more.

"Any reason you came to bother me?"

"Has anyone told you that you smell like an ash tray?"

"TIDUS," Riku warned. The blonde boy began to play absently with his school tie, avoiding his eyes.

"Selphie's freaking out. She keeps saying she saw something fall into the sea."

A silver eyebrow raised in suspicion. "Like a Heartless? Or Sora's ship?"

"Probably not. But I promised her you'd check it out," Tidus muttered with an uncomfortable shrug.

"So I go fight the monsters and you cuddle up with your girlfriend? Sounds like a bad deal to me."

"HEY, she was having a hissy fit! What else was I supposed to do? Selphie doesn't want to be left alone, and I can't exactly say you're the greatest company to be stuck with. She's NOT my fucking girlfriend-"

"Watch your language, kid." Riku turned and slipped his door shut. "Go find Selphie and stay with her, just in case this does turn out to be something."

When he turned around, Tidus was already gone.

* * *

Dusk broke like a damn across the dark and lonely Destiny Islands. A flood of rich reds and burnt oranges tinted the skies and the waters like a stain, even bathing the palm trees in a thin veneer of mimosa. Sand and crushed seashells ground beneath bare feet as Riku walked the empty beach. Everything seemed in order, but there was this nagging feeling in his gut that told him something was wrong.

He slipped the buttons of his pants off one by one until the black fabric pooled around his feet. The dying light of the sun cast shadows over his thick, muscular frame and illuminated a sea of white scars. Like tattoos on his rich skin, they covered him from shoulder to thigh and came in a variety of sizes and patterns. Souvenirs of lessons learned.

The silver-haired once-upon-a-time Keyblade wielder waded out waist deep into the still ocean. The nagging sensation grew stronger, calling out to him, and Riku dove through the warm water with practiced ease. Fish and great shadows flitted just out of sight as he moved, parting in fear.

Destiny Islands had turned into a distant sight when he finally slowed down. Even in the dim daylight, Riku could see the shallow reefs far beneath his feet. There were old crab trap cages, a giant patch of coral, and a large figure still sinking down towards the sand.

He dove without a thought.

* * *

It was deep into nightfall by the time he reached the shoreline again. Riku dropped his catch onto the sand and collapsed next to it, coughing up salted water. The swim back had been awkward and slow, and it had taken almost every ounce of energy he had.

"You've got some serious explaining to do," he choked out, struggling to stand and scoop his prize back up in his arms.

Cradling her warm body to his, Riku started home.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Despite how confusing that chapter probably was, I swear this has a solid plot. How will Riku handle having to care for this stranger? Where the hell did she come from? Could there be more trouble on the horizon? Next up- 'Once Bitten, Twice Shy'.


	3. Once Bitten

**Author's Note: **I'm very fond of my Riku in this one. I was definitely thinking 1940s noir detective for some reason when I created him…

* * *

Sunshine poured through the open windows, too bright and intense for comfort. Riku sipped from his cold, black cup of coffee and stared out into the sweltering afternoon, waiting. Nobody could ever say he lacked an abundance of patience.

His floor and shelves were clear of clutter now, save a handful of glass potion bottles and other emergency mixes. The house appeared to be 'clean' for the first time in ages, though it only meant his clothes and rubbish had been hastily stuffed into drawers and corner spaces. Tendrils of smoke rose from the ashtray at his side like a living thing trying to escape.

A cool, saline breeze pushed through the island heat, cooling the sweat that beaded her skin. Dried salt covered her thin body, matted her brown hair and chapped her dark pink lips. Her orange, tropical tank and khaki cargos looked ragged and faded from something… Age, or perhaps a long journey.

Cautiously her legs and arms stretched out, assessing the pain and confusion coursing through her system. A few noises of discomfort slipped from her dry throat, waking Riku from his daze.

"You're awake." He sighed in relief, turning to face her. His pale green eyes met her jade-colored ones and took in all her wide-eyed shock.

"Where-" she coughed out, "where am I?"

"My house. In my bed."

Her eyes narrowed a fraction, bordering on distrust. "How did I get here?"

Riku settled his coffee mug on his dresser and turned away from her. "I carried you in from the beach."

The girl paused at that, searching her memory. His scarred hands clenched and unclenched in an attempt to relax and not worry. But he still knew what she was about to say, and it wasn't what he wanted to hear.

"I don't remember it."

"You were unconscious after I pulled you from the water, so I wouldn't imagine you _would_ remember."

"The water?" She sat up in bed, tangled in his semi-clean sheets. "No, I don't remember any water. I don't…I don't remember _anything_. I mean, I can't think of where I live, or how old I am…oh, God…"

"It figures." The silver-haired young man hissed, walking towards the door. "Waste of my damn time, waiting around for you wake up and tell me nothing…"

There was the soft sound of impact as a pillow smacked into his back and fell to the floor. Riku, full of piss and fury, turned to eye her with his coldest look and tear her a new one. Honestly, he was one of the greatest fighters the universe had ever seen, and she'd hit him with a _pillow_.

But his mightier-than-thou speech stopped short as she winced and held her arm close to her body. The girl's thin and grimy body heaved and shuddered with pain, her breathing tight and audible. Riku was back at her side with speed that could only come from years of practice.

"What? What's wrong?" he breathed, looking her over as if to see where her pain was coming from. His striking face betrayed no sign of emotion, despite the rich quality of his voice. Distant, cold, like the evaluation of a computer searching for data. She looked up at him with eyes filled with hurt, making him look away abashedly. But she did not pull away as he touched her arm and felt the bone for sign of fracture.

Taking a mile for the inch given, Riku took her other arm in hand and began to check it as well. She stared, her bottom lip jutted out in a slight pout, but didn't protest. She should have been afraid, upset, and perhaps ten thousand other emotions, but…wasn't. The girl was trusting him as if she knew him. _Maybe she thinks we've met before_.

"We haven't had a visitor come to the island in years," he finally spoke as his weathered fingers started on her bare feet. "It's a bad sign."

"How bad of a sign?"

"…"

"Pretty bad. So I guess I'm nothing but trouble. Good to know at least something about myself." She smiled reassuringly at her rescuer, and it seemed strange to him that someone could be so completely calm and understanding in the middle of a mess like this. But then again, he knew Sora, so it wasn't that strange after all.

"I'm Riku."

"Olette, I think. It sounds right, anyway."

Her toes wiggled as he checked her other leg. The potions seemed to have worked their magic- no broken bones, no wounds in need of bandages. Olette leaned towards him, putting her face in a position where his eyes would finally meet hers. He reluctantly looked up to find her giving him a warm, comforting smile.

"Thank you, by the way. You've taken good care of me."

Riku stared for a moment, then shook his head and pushed himself in the direction of his closet. His crumpled shirt was unbuttoned and in a heap on the floor in a matter of seconds, though the girl only got a brief glimpse of the scars lining his back before a fresh shirt covered them.

"Towels are in the closet, clean clothes are in the drawers. Hot water takes a few seconds to come through the bathroom pipes. Food in the kitchen, so there's no need for you to go outside. Keep the door locked and don't let anybody in whatsoever."

"You're going somewhere?" Olette moved gingerly off the bed and tested the strength of her legs against the wooden floor. Her knee buckled slightly, but held its ground.

"I need answers and I'm not getting them here. There's a knife under the pillow just in case. Take it out, even if you're not sure if you need it. And remember to keep the door locked-"

"What kind of place is this?" she asked, glancing outside with curious eyes.

"At the moment, it's a very quiet and peaceful island. But now that you're here, things could be different. Don't even think about going outsi-"

"I heard you the first time, alright? Look, I'm pretty sure I can take care of myself."

The ex-Keyblade wielder looked the girl over with an appreciative eye. Her dark green eyes were filled with a fire that he had never seen in a woman before. Selphie and Kairi were too mild-mannered to be so damn confident. Beneath the grime of her clothes and skin was fine muscle and skin darkened from hours in the sun. She was a little short, but she carried herself well- head high, shoulders back, knees slightly bent and ready to run. It was true that he didn't know her, but Riku believed her.

"Right. I'll be back later, so don't go looking for me. And I don't give a damn who says they're at the door, don't answer it." He ran for the front door, straightening the loose tie on his neck. The school uniform was more than flattering- it had become more a statement of who, or what, he was.

"I still don't understand!" she coughed out, her voice a little distant.

"You're my responsibility now, so just do as I say." Riku replied as the door slammed behind him. Olette leaned against his bedroom doorframe and closed her eyes, letting her headache consume her.

* * *

It was dark before Riku returned home, and he seemed a little more relaxed as he stepped inside.

"Olette?"

"In the kitchen!" her voice came. She sounded healthier and more cheerful, if possible.

And there she was, sitting on his kitchen table with her legs dangling cheerfully over the edge. She was wearing one of his white button-down shirts and a baggy pair of white cotton shorts. The white contrasted with her darkened skin and made her look, if possible, even more tan. Her brown hair still looked a little wet with a few stray pieces sticking to the side of her face and the ends dampening her shoulders. Two mugs of liquid and two plates of baked chicken lay on the table, no doubt a little cold.

"You made dinner?" Riku couldn't hold back his surprise. A home cooked meal? _Fuck me, it's been a while since I've had one of those_. She shrugged and took a sip of her drink.

"The least I could do. You saved me…or at least, that's what I've been told."

He was sitting beside her in no time at all, devouring the chicken as if he hadn't eaten in days. _Unless you count cigarettes and coffee as full meals, I guess I really haven't. Go figure._

"So, any clues?" Olette ventured casually, taking in the distressed state of Riku's clothes. It looked like he had rolled through every pile of sand, water, and mud on the entire island. Not to mention that he reeked of cheap tobacco. He swallowed a mouthful of food hastily and muttered something that sounded like 'numfin'. The girl grimaced at his bachelor table manners as her fingers casually pushed her own untouched plate of food towards him, which he instantly accepted.

"Wasn't sure when you were going to be back," she sighed, stretching out her legs. One hand rubbed at her ribs almost thoughtlessly.

"Big island. How do you feel?" he asked before taking another large bite of chicken.

"Better. A little ache and pain, but nothing serious."

"Mm, the potions fixed most of the damage. You'll be healed in no time."

"That's nice."

Riku paused in his eating and glanced up at Olette, who wasn't paying much attention. Were they making small talk? _Is that what this is? How long as it been since I had a real conversation with someone? About something other than Heartless?_

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, urgent and impatient. Olette slipped down off the table and followed her rescuer to the front door like a curious puppy, where he pushed her safely behind him as it swung open.

"I should have known it would be you, Tidus. What the hell do you want now?"

His blonde friend opened his mouth angrily, but stopped as he noticed Riku's guest in the background. The anger turned to shock, and from shock it immediately passed into a disapproving shake of his head. Tidus looked over his friend's rough appearance and back at the girl wearing men's clothes.

"You're having rough sex, and at a time like this! You're fucking crazy!"

"Watch the language, kid. Now what are you talking about?"

Tidus rolled his eyes and jabbed a finger up towards the night sky as if it would explain everything. Olette gasped and pushed Riku's protective hand out of her way, moving to his side.

"It's absolutely beautiful!" She cried out in excitement. "Do the stars always look like that?" Her jade-green eyes glittered with awe and excitement like a little girl, though the other two boys seemed less than thrilled with the sight. Tidus thrust out his jaw with a 'what are you going to do about this?' gaze. He looked bitter and afraid, and Riku could practically hear his friend's heart calling out for Sora to come home and fix things.

The night sky looked like a wild aurora borealis filled with bright colors and odd patterns. The stars themselves swelled and contracted with bursts of light like a million supernovas. All the planets were falling from their orbits and sinking deeper into the sky, creating golden streaks of light. Everything was moving and heaving in rebellion, and it was breathtaking to watch.

Running a hand through his wild, silver hair, Riku closed his eyes and took a very deep breath. A flare of darkness raged inside his heart, calling out his own feelings of fear and bitterness. He squashed it quickly- this was no time for a break down.

"_Stars should never fall like that, Olette. Never."_

* * *

His trusty lighter needed a couple of flicks before it kicked out a flame, burning the tip of a fresh cigarette and giving it life. Riku inhaled and exhaled deeply, and none of the islanders complained about his bad habits for once.

"Those things are terrible for you!" Olette whispered into his ear, full of motherly concern. She seemed unfazed by the frantic mob of people that had gathered outside the house, because it obviously wasn't as important as cutting his smoking habit down. _This girl isn't fazed by anything._

"Hush," he whispered back. "You can't even remember how old you are, so don't you dare spout off statistics I don't want to hear."

"You can be a real ass sometimes. I haven't even known you a full day and I already know that about you."

"Hush."

"We want answers, Riku!" Selphie cried out from Tidus' side. A few others mirrored her cry, shifting anxiously on the grass and glancing up at the sky.

"Start wit' her." Wakka's deep voice carried above the small crowd, his thick finger pointed towards Olette. "Who da' hell is she, yah?" Riku cleared his throat and adjusted his loose black tie, drawing their attention away from the strange girl. His eyes were hard and his jaw remained clenched tightly.

"She's a visitor here from…somewhere else. And she's lost her memory, so she doesn' t know what's going on. That good enough for you?"

"Like Kairi!" Tidus realized. "We never knew where Kairi came from, and she didn't have her memories either."

"There's someone else like me?" Olette whispered. Riku shook his head and waved away the idea.

"It was a long time ago- not important. Destiny Islands is probably just a lot like Traverse Town; a place where people are sent when their homes and memories are destroyed."

"_Excuse me_?"

"We don't know that, Olette. It's just a theory."

"Are we sure 'dis isn't a Heartless attack? With Sora and da' Keyblade gone, and with da' sky changing like that, it might mean we go unda' attack soon, yah? Maybe da' other worlds are already at war, yah?" Wakka pointed out calmly. The chittering of the islanders increased into nervous cries.

"_Worlds?_"

"I haven't even seen the slightest trace of a Shadow! If the Heartless were coming, they'd have been here by now. And I'm sure Sora and King Mickey are already on top of the situation."

"_Heartless? King?"_

"But with the Keyblade gone-" Tidus started, but an icy look from his silver-haired friend shut him up fast.

"We're defenseless. If something comes and Sora doesn't come back in time, we're fucked. End of story."

"But you-"

"Me?" Riku took a pause to take a drag from his cig. "I'm not Sora. I don't have any answers, I don't have a Keyblade, and I don't even have a spaceship to go off and _find_ the Keyblade Master. You're barking up the wrong damn tree, 'cause I don't save worlds."

"You won't help us?" Selphie asked in disbelief.

"There's nothing for me to help. I suggest you all go home and enjoy the pretty light show, and pray the boogey man doesn't come to get us. I mean, I could probably take Oogie Boogie in a fair fight, but he never plays fair," Riku chuckled.

"This isn't a joke! Don't you dare pretend you don't care!"

"_You know the boogey man?"_

"Now, if you'll excuse us, my dinner is getting cold."

* * *

Olette turned away from Riku and watched the sky, though her face held little awe and excitement now. She looked tired.

"So there are other worlds out there, and I probably came from one of them. I guess that's not too bad. And the Heartless are enemies from another world?"

"Something like that. They have the ability to steal people's hearts, but they were sealed up a few years ago. The Keyblade the others were talking about is the only weapon that can destroy them, and it can only be used by the chosen Keyblade Master."

"You don't like talking about it," Olette observed. "It upsets you. Did something happen?" Her rescuer didn't answer, and she decided not to push the subject.

"They thought you could help them, like this has happened before. Has it?"

"Something similar," he confessed, dragging from his cigarette. "When the Heartless invaded, the planets began to disappear and became infected with darkness."

"The planets aren't disappearing, though! They're just…moving and changing. Riku, somewhere out there is my home planet. And I know I don't know anything about it, but I can't let anything happen to it. There has to be something we can do."

"I can't do that, Olette."

"You can, but you won't. At least try to be reasonable."

"We're not supposed to interfere with the fate of other worlds. Only Sora has the right to fix things with his magical Keyblade, which is out of my hands now."

"The Keyblade was in your hands before?" she asked, surprised.

"That's not your concern," Riku snarled suddenly, his fist slamming against the wall in frustration. "I don't go around saving things, okay? The last time I got involved with trying to help someone, I ended up destroying _everything_."

"It couldn't have been that bad," Olette added softly, trying hard to be understanding.

"I'll burn in hell for all the things I've done. If I had just stayed out of it, we wouldn't have had to spend years cleaning up my mess. I don't play hero anymore, alright?"

"So you're just going to let something terrible happen to all those worlds?"

"Sora's out there! He and Mickey can take care of whatever is happening!"

"But you don't know that! You don' t even know if they're okay, or where they are!"

"I trust them," Riku spat.

"I trust you more. Help me, please." Olette pleaded.

"You don't understand what you're asking me to do. You don't know what I'm capable of, and you don't know the things I've already done in the name of rescue. I suggest you go save the universe by yourself."

Anger contorted her sweet features as Olette turned away from him. Riku watched as she shoved her bare feet into her ragged sneakers, too worn to be of any real use, and snatched up her dirty clothes from the floor. Without so much as a look back, the girl stormed her way to the front door and slammed it behind her.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Coming soon on The Road to Hell is Paved: Olette is ready to take on the universe by herself. But is Riku ready to let her? Will he get over his inhibitions, or will they consume him? Next up- **'Don't Let It Hit You'**.


	4. Don't Let It Hit You

**Author's Note:** The fact that it's taken over a year to update a chapter shames me. I could give you excuses, but that would be lame.

* * *

"Olette!" The name echoed through the warm, silent islands like a ghost and disappeared somewhere between the sky and endless ocean. Riku threw himself down on a set of broken planks at the water's edge and clutched his head between his hands. He was close to the tiny island of paopu fruit, just beneath the obstacle course he and Sora used to run through. It was the only time he was ever good at anything- that damned course made him better than his best friend just once in his life.

His bare foot kicked up a load of wet sand and hurled it at the sky. A moment later it hit the water with a soft 'plop' somewhere in the distance. The clouds had rolled in and were too thick and heavy to let in any light from the heavens. He ran a rough hand through his long hair and gripped at his scalp as if it would make him feel better. He could hear the waves grating along the shore, and the wind rustling the leaves of the palms, and the creaking of wood. And, for a moment, he thought he could hear someone calling out for him.

"Riku?" A voice murmured tentatively in the darkness. "Riku, is that you?" The voice, rich and feminine, sounded tired. "Hello? It's too dark for me to see."

"Olette?" The silver-haired boy scrambled up from his wooden seat and jogged up to the main beach. "Olette!" His bright eyes, far too accustomed to the darkness, saw her shuffle about awkwardly through the sand. She stubbed her foot on a decently sized rock and doubled over in surprise at the painful contact. Riku grabbed her arm and spun her about to face him.

"Oh! Riku, it is you!" She exclaimed, grasping his thick, sinewy bicep with her two hands for support.

"I thought you couldn't see." He sounded irritated, but there was no mistaking the sigh of relief he breathed a second later. One of his calloused hands settled on her shoulder blade and Riku could feel the chill of her skin sink through. The fabric of his white button-down shirt, which she was wearing, was too thin to keep her warm.

"I can't. Can you?"

"Yeah. How'd you know it was me?"

"Aside from the fact that you're the only person who knows me here? I don't know. I just…could tell you were close." It was an odd thing to say, but Riku shrugged it off. He used his hand to guide her up the beach and back towards his house. Olette, however, pulled his arm in a different direction.

"Hang on, Riku. You've got to see this, it's _amazing_." Still clinging to him, the brunette beauty led him farther up the beach onto a seashell-gravel pathway. Nearby was a waterfall that flowed into a small pool and a large, sheer face of rock.

"There's nothing back here. C'mon, let's go back to the house. My ass is tired from chasing you around all night."

Olette kneeled to the ground and tugged on his arm, as if to suggest he should follow. And then she disappeared through a small, vine-covered hole in the rock's face. It was truly the last place Riku ever wanted to go again.

"Get out of there," he commanded. Olette didn't answer, and he shifted his weight nervously once or twice. After a couple of minutes of silence, Riku let out a groan and followed.

* * *

The small cavern was lit by shining crystals and phosphorous mushrooms, making it glow with an almost violet-tinted light. Riku's iced blue eyes avoided the crude, childish drawings marking the walls. He knew exactly where that stupid image of Kairi and Sora sharing the paopu fruit was, and he ignored his traditional urge to destroy it.

"Olette, this is a dangerous place and we _really_ shouldn't be here. Let's go." His voice held an almost unmistakable threat. He could see her outline at the very back of the cave, and she seemed to be staring at something. Riku knew what it was before he could even see it.

"Why is there a door here? Isn't that strange, a door hidden in a cave? Where does it lead, Riku?"

"To Hell. But it disappeared a long time ago- shouldn't even _be_ _here_ anymore_. _You'd best leave it be." He said it like he wasn't really surprised that it was there. Girls falling from skies, Sora disappearing in a time of need, stars having orgies in the heavens…it was just one of those days where anything could happen.

"I know you know the King of the Universe, the master of the Keyblade, the boogey man, and God knows who else, and I know you've been to other worlds and have done things I can't begin to imagine. But you _cannot_ have a door leading to Hell on your island, I'm not that naïve. So where does it really lead?"

"The darkness, but that's worse than Hell."

"Why?" Olette asked distractedly, touching the enormous wooden door with the tips of her fingers.

"Because at least you're dead when you enter Hell. The darkness takes you alive." She pulled her fingers back as if she'd been burned and held them close to her chest. Olette shivered slightly, and Riku wished he had a jacket or something to cover her with.

"Satisfied? Let's get out of here."

"There's something you're not telling me. This door and the planets and stars are all connected, right? You said you got rid of the door, but it's back now. And you said the stars disappeared before, and now they're falling. A girl fell from the sky years ago, and now I'm here. What's the connection?"

"You don't need to know-"

"Why not!? Why won't you tell me the full story? You're giving me pieces of vague information, trying to hide things from me, and I don't know why. Why won't you tell me what's going on, Riku? Have I done anything to deserve your distrust?"

"You haven't done anything wrong, so _chill out_." The low, rough tone of his voice made Olette take a couple of steps back. "You don't need to know, that's all. It's a secret that nobody is supposed to know about anymore."

"That's part of it, but there's something else you're not saying. I know you're lying."

_I don't want to tell you how I destroyed the universe, or how I gave in to the darkness, or all the awful things I did to win Kairi's love__. Things Sora doesn't even know. You're the only person who doesn't fear me, or hate me, or know what I've done… And I don't want to ruin that._

"Olette, drop the subject and come with me back to the house. I don't want to talk about this anymore." She stepped back towards the door defiantly and grabbed the handle with both her hands. Riku shook his head and smiled wryly.

"You can't open it. Only the Keyblade Master can open or close the doors."

"Doors? As in 'more than one'. As in, these doors lead to more places than just the darkness. As in…other worlds, maybe?" The smile dropped and Riku grabbed her arms roughly to pull her away from it. The moment his hands touched her arms, however, the door began to glow with a blinding light. He could feel the surge of magical energy pouring from the door, trying to escape. The darkness inside his heart exploded with fear, anxiety, and desire.

"No, Olette. Please," he whispered desperately. "Let go."

Magic and power filled every available space and polluted the air with its suffocating presence. The hair on Riku's arms stood on end and his brain pounded with a sudden migraine. _Make it stop_, he thought desperately, ignoring his own dark desire to open the door himself. To have that power again, that freedom to wander the stars and once more be known, wanted, **feared**, **revered**… _No. _

"I'm sorry," she whispered. It was such a tiny sound that it almost seemed like he was hearing a thought. Olette pulled on the handle of the enormous wooden door and watched as it swung open widely for her. Light surged through the doorway like a living thing and consumed the darkness of the cave, making it hard to see. A tiny hand gently touched Riku's arm and he let go of her.

With one step, she was gone.

The silver-haired boy fell to his knees, clutching at his burning heart as if to soothe the pain. Shaking fingers reached for the pack of poorly made cigarettes in his shirt pocket, pulling one out and lighting it. The smoke felt good and helped give just a little more control over the darkness and fear welling up inside. But, like everything else, it only helped a little. It wasn't the cigarettes or the drinks or being in his own bed at night or knowing the universe was safe or the short, bitter conversations he had with the people he used to know that got him through the day. It was the thought that maybe one person, at least, could stand to look at him and talk to him and _not think I'm a monster._

Riku managed to push himself up off the ground and dusted the sand and dirt off his damp, black slacks. As he walked slowly towards the cave's hidden entrance, he couldn't help but feel a slight disappointment at coming home to an empty house again. The baked chicken he'd had for dinner still warmed his stomach, and it sure as hell had tasted better than a can of beans or a bowl of cereal. _You know, for a cooked meal and a little conversation... I could face the darkness again._

So he stopped, took a long and burning drag of his cigarette, and walked right back to the door that had led him to his nightmares.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I know it's another really short chapter, but I've got to set things up right before we get into the adventure. Next up- '**Curiousity Killed It'**.


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